Festival De Cannes Sélection Officielle: The Neon Demon

The first rule about not being in Cannes is that you can still talk about Cannes.

The Neon Demon

Nicolas Winding Refn

United States

SUMMARY

Nicolas Winding Refn has truly received a roller-coaster of opinion for his distinctive visual craft, winning Best Director for the brilliant Drive at Cannes, was followed by what was considered a real turkey with Only God Forgives. The images that we saw prior to the release of The Neon Demon were mouth-watering, as Refn’s new Cannes submission promised to be an intoxicating, if surreal, look at the fashion world, with Elle Fanning in the lead. The boos, shouting, walkouts, that came from the film’s initial screening really contrasted some of the most positive reviews of the festival. The Neon Demon has some astonishing, vivid moments, and audiences are still coming to terms with whether this is indeed ridiculous or genius. Welcome to Cannes

COMPETITION PROSPECTS

While Refn’s film might be avoided like the plague, there is also a strong chance this could be a prize-winner – maybe Best Director again. While the Palme d’Or seems unlikely, it could well be represented with a prize.